Happy Year Of The Monkey! Astrology Tip of the Week…
February 8th, 2016, began the Chinese New Year, calculated every year by using a combination of the lunar calendar and the Gregorian, and always falling in late January or early February according to their solar calendar…
(Don’t ask me to explain how it’s done – I barely know what day of the week it is…)
This year is the Year of the Red Fire Monkey.
Since I practice the system of astrology of India, which is nowhere near China, I have no idea what that means.
But years ago I had a wonderful teacher (the late, great George Roman) who studied Chinese astrology extensively as well as Vedic, and said that it was equally AMAZING.
(And my husband’s late, great best friend, the actor Brandon Lee – yes, THAT Brandon Lee, son of Bruce – used to love to remind him that while my husband’s white, Irish and British ancestors were still living in homes made of sticks and mud, the Chinese were the world’s greatest astronomers, navigators, linguists, and more… Brandon would have been fifty-one last week, sigh. But I digress…)
I took some time to read up on Chinese astrology and this business of the Year of the Red Fire Monkey and I have to say, it sounds like it’s going to be anything but dull….
The Chinese system uses a twelve-sign system made up of animals, but instead of lasting for a month, each lasts for a year. (The year is then broken up into months of other signs, and weeks, days, and even hours.)
So everyone born during that year is considered the same sign, and is believed to have personality traits of that sign.
Interestingly, it’s not just individuals who are thought to have the qualities of the sign of the year they are born, it’s believed that the entire world is impacted by the sign of the Chinese new year.
So world markets, governments, economies, the weather – all are supposed to be impacted by the qualities of the year.
I recommend you read up on your Chinese sign – it’s fun!
(You can easily discover your Chinese sign if you don’t know it already. Just go to lunch at a Chinese restaurant, and read it off the place mat. Okay, bad joke. Google it, and be careful if you’re born in January, or the very beginning of February, like I am. That will actually make you the animal sign of the year before…)
I was born in the year of the Fire Horse, and I must admit everything I read about the “horse” personality is pretty darn accurate in my case and in the case of my many friends born the same year.
We’re known to be super social (yup), active, impulsive, intuitive, and risk taking.
We’re super motivated and ambitious, and love working for ourselves or being in positions of leadership, and “running around” doing all kinds of different things. (Hmmm… I’ve always had like five jobs – and even now do five things at all times…)
We go with our gut and take action quickly. (So true!)
As a result, we can get ourselves into situations we later regret (since we didn’t check them out fully, or plan wisely – we just went for it) and take on more than we should. (Boy – where was my Chinese astrologer like thirty years ago, when I could have really used one?)
According to this ancient system, the most prominent personality trait of horses is that we are opinionated!
If you’ve been reading this newsletter for over a week, then you don’t need me to tell you that’s more than just a little bit true in my case.
What’s really fun is comparing how your Chinese sign goes with those of the people in your life.
Just like in other systems of astrology, the different signs either go together or do not.
Apparently, a Horse gal like me should be best friends with someone born under the Chinese sign of a dog (one of my longest, closest girlfriends is) and I should marry a tiger (I did!)… Wacky, huh?
Last year (2015) was the year of the Green Wood Sheep (also referred to as the year of the Ram), and Sheep years are known for being mostly stable, peaceful, and abundant.
(Of course, on a planet with 7 billion people you can always find exceptions to what the year is “supposed to” be like… but this was mostly true!)
The description of the sign of the Monkey is, of course, like monkeys themselves.
This is one of the most popular of the Chinese astrology signs, because of the associated positive qualities of confidence, stamina, talent, charm, leadership and overall Bad-Assery (it’s correlated to the sign of Leo in Western astrology) so many people “aim” to have monkey babies, and thus birth rates go way up in China and Asian communities….
In matters of the heart, Monkeys are sensitive and romantic but also fickle and easily distracted…
Apparently a year is much like the animal itself – so a monkey year is exciting, powerful, adventurous, good for innovation and technology (since monkeys are ingenious and good with their hands), and a powerful time to start new things.
The influence of it being a “Red” and “Fire” year (according to Taoist elements) indicates that it’s more of a bold, brave, passionate, exciting but perhaps impulsive and impatient year than usual.
(The Red and Fire energy are strong and resilient, but can make us all “leap without looking” – so make sure there really is a branch to land on and the vine you’re about to swing from is strong enough to hold you… ha ha.)
Some signs do better during certain years than others, and a Monkey year is supposedly best for Rat, Dragon, and Snake natives, but not the best for Tigers. (Uh oh – gotta warn my Tiger hubby…)
As with any system of astrology, our individual charts and karmas differ year to year… But there are themes that can be seen for the world at large.
Everything I read said the year of the Monkey will be exciting and powerful, but full of surprises – and that we all need to be extra deliberate with our decisions and where to put our time and energy and be sure to do our “due diligence” when it comes to launching new big projects, making major purchases, or giving our hearts (or money!) to anyone we don’t know well…
(But if things do go well, and you’ve chosen wisely, incredible passion and major success can result!)
According to the calculations of Vedic astrology – which differ from those of Western astrology by almost an entire sign – 2016 is potentially a violent year.
It’s expected that this year will have (oh, gee!) hotter weather and more flooding than ever (since the hot, violent planet of Mars will join Saturn in the turbulent water sign of Scorpio later this month, and will stay together there for a whopping seven months – reaching a pinnacle in August) and that world tensions and markets will be more unpredictable and volatile, with sudden ups and downs “out of the blue.”
The “fire” element of the year as reflected in the Chinese system echoes all of that.
But both Fire and Monkey energy is resilient and joyful, able to “bounce back” from trouble, and cultivate tons of support (Monkeys are social creatures, after all, who use team work and loyal family dynamics to help them go far and thrive).
On the relationship front, romances begun in a Monkey year can start with a lot of fireworks, but can fizzle as quickly as they start… OR be more FUN and HOT than any you’ve ever had for years to come.
And pre-existing relationships that may have become ho-hum can be reignited this year by focusing on having MORE PLAY TIME and new shared experiences.
(I’m sure you’ve heard it’s been found in multiple studies that when you do something new and exciting with your partner your feelings of excitement and aliveness get transferred to your relationship, making couples feel more in love again)…
But if tensions tend to flare between you, watch out for even shorter tempers and more arguing this year! You may want to get yourselves “his and her” muzzles…
If a relationship is truly running on fumes and cannot get back “that lovin’ feeling,” this is a year you can get the strength and inspiration to finally have a “conscious uncoupling” and move on at last.
(Under monkey energy it’s hard to stay neutral or in limbo… so this is a good year to make decisions and do what you gotta do to commit to them.)
This is an excellent year to focus on creative pursuits and your biggest dreams, get past your inner fears doubts, and “feel the fear and do it anyway.” Just be careful to set up support and systems to help you “stay the course” or you may find that you’re constantly pulled away from the work because you’re too busy chasing the NEXT big idea.
If you’d like some help doing all of the above, this opinionated filly has many things that can help!
If you don’t have a man in your “field of love” and WISH you did, I have a suggestion. (Yup – like always…)
If you’re a shy single, a Monkey year is the PERFECT time to get over the pain of the past and your hesitations and take massive inspired action to implement a new “man plan” to help you meet new candidates!
It’s a great year to take throw caution to the wind and join dating sites, take up tennis or salsa dancing (or both), and book a week at a hot singles resort.
If you’re too bold and have spent your life foolishly “following your feelings” and diving in too quickly, and have found it’s not the most reliable way to go, stop the madness! In a Monkey year you want to enlist a conservative dowager aunt to chaperone on all of your dates… and get an extra strong “chastity belt” (I am so not kidding!).
Or, better yet CHECK HIM OUT first, and discover if your instincts are right and he is a good guy – or if he’s only going to “monkey around” with your precious time and heart.
Amazingly, ancient astrologers figured out quick, easy techniques to determine from a man’s chart if he’s a “high capacity” man – able to be a good partner.
He might be utterly adorable, funny, smart, successful and sexy – and he might even be a great guy to his friends…
But that doesn’t mean he’ll be able to treat you right.
A man’s chart can reveal an adorable personality – but a man who is too selfish, insensitive, independent, unstable, or insecure to make any woman happy.
Remember – this is a year in which excitement and drama can blind us all to the things that bring true happiness…
Make sure yours goes well. Check him out here.
If you’re already in a relationship and are concerned that it doesn’t have a solid foundation but is mostly due to excitement and drama, this Monkey Year can give you the ingenuity and motivation to find the right tools and systems to strengthen your connection.
Often a couple will have intense combos for chemistry, but these same connections will make it virtually impossible to keep the peace.
And this is just the year to get powerful clarity and implement the right tools to save the day!
If you find over and over that the man in your life makes you see red (even before this new “red” year – ha ha), or frays your nerves like no one else, it may not be YOU.
Maybe it’s the combination of THE TWO of you…
(We’ve all seen those “Animal Planet” shows in which upset monkeys throw a lot of $h!t around! If your man makes you behave badly, or regularly makes you the target of his immature antics, maybe there’s something “bigger than the both of you” going on)…
Find out what’s going on with an in-depth compatibility technique that explains it all, and then tells you what to DO about it all.
This technique is at the heart of “The Right Man Report” – nine-eleven pages of personal information about YOU and ANY MAN you’re with (or wondering if you should be with)…
You can find this life and love-saving information here.
This technique will tell you if you have good enough communication to get along easily – or not…
If you share the same sensibility or will always have to explain yourself over and over…
If you have a healthy balance of power, or if one of you is always dominating the other… (yuck!).
If there’s a basis of friendship between you, and overall goodwill…
If you’re on the same wavelength and so can be yourselves…
Or if, no matter what you do, it’s as though you step on landmines together, and can never just relax and enjoy each other…
I’ve been doing this technique for women all day every day for nineteen years and it never fails.
Find out if you should hold on this year or if you’re working way too hard and kidding yourself…
And what to do to make things as good as they can be.
It’s all right here.
I hope this red fiery new year brings you all good things!
For now, this little filly needs to gallop off to the barn for a snack and a nap…
It’s my sincere wish that God and his planets and stars shower you with love, this year and every other!
